Bra fitting help » Should I go with a larger cup?
Maidenform » Comfort Devotion Embellished Extra Coverage Bra (09404) » 38D 38:4
Issue resolved
Cup size too small and shallow.
Original problem
The ABTF size calculator suggests a 42G. I can accept that I need a larger band, but I don't see how I can fill a 42G! I am a transwoman and that might make a difference. To my untrained eye, this bra fits pretty good, except for the band.
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Suggestions (3)
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1
helpfulWe will train you, have no fear
I can't say precisely which cup size you need but for sure this bra is not fitting you. The gore (the bit in the middle) is not tacking to your body, which means the cups are too shallow, and the cups are not containing all the breast tissue, which means they are too narrow and not tall enough.You will want to look for bras with a stretched band length of about 42" and a cup depth of at least 11" to match your lying breast perimeter. Look at reviews on here for how bras fit. You want to find bras that are designed to fit a wide, shallow breast shape.
Don't neglect the option of wire-free bras--there are a lot of good choices in band sizes 38 and above. They are usually very comfortable and are more forgiving in terms of molding to your natural breast shape, since you don't need to worry about an underwire being precisely the right width for your body.
Updated on October 28, 2014 Flag this
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I'm always psyched to meet a fellow lover of details :-D I will try to address each of your questions!
When i looked at image 5 on my phone yesterday I had the impression that the gore was not tacking, but taking a closer look today on my laptop I can see it was just an optical illusion, so ignore that.
Yes, there are degrees of shallowness. In this case though, we are just talking about cups that are wayyyy too small all-round, so when looking for new bras, don't try to compare to this bra per se... just see how well they contain and support all the tissue. But yes, overall, if you compare your shape to, say, the shape of someone on here who wears a 34H bra, you will see the difference: your breast tissue is distributed over a wider and taller surface on your torso, so for optimal comfort and a smooth appearance under clothes, you are going to want cups that are wide enough to contain the breadth of your natural shape, with only moderate depth.
Unfortunately right now on Bratabase there is no measurement for cup height so you'll want to rely on photos and reviews from other users to see if they consider a particular bra to have taller cups, or not. In your size range manufacturers tend to assume taller cups are needed so this shouldn't be hard to find once you are searching in the right size range. Cup width and depth will be the top priorities when you do a search by measurements on here (do you know how to do that?)
In terms of bands... It's hard to speak for all 38 bands, because in the large-band size range there are huge inconsistencies in how stretchy bands are from one bra to another, even within the same brand. This band, for example, appears to have a mind-boggling degree of stretch (going from 32 to 44"!) However, I think trying on some 42 bands, or at most 44, would probably be a sensible starting point. This one does look like it is digging into your back in a way that would get a little uncomfortable after a while.
Feel free to ask more questions and post more fitting requests! It's the best way to learn.
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"Feel free to ask more questions and post more fitting requests! It's the best way to learn."
OK! I'd love to post more fitting requests but it seems to take *forever* to take the necessary photos. And, of course, photos of myself are not something I'm particularly fond of, unless I don't have to look at them. They stir up shame issues about my weight, my gender, issues about self-loathing. All the normal stuff.
Something that would be incredibly useful here would be the ability to annotate and/draw on the photos. That way I could draw arrows and circle areas and attach specific questions and comments. And the person trying to help could do the same. It would immediately be abused, naturally, and be turned off as a result. I might try doing that with some of the photos I already have.
I've decided it's time to do some more research and experimentation. First experiment is to fashion an underwire out of a clothes hanger so I can get a better notion of what I'm looking for. I also have some old bras I could deconstruct and experiment with.
--Kristine
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Some people on here do "draw" on the photos but I'm too old and out of it to know what they use. Maybe some variation of Photoshop? I agree it would be amazing if we could have a multi user photo annotation/marking tool, but it might be a lot to ask of our already overworked admins!
I hope that finding bras that fit properly will help you overcome the self-loathing, nobody deserves to feel that way. We are here to be supportive :-)
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helpfulHave you "swooped and scooped" for these pictures? In the front-view picture, it looks like there might be some tissue spilling out under your breasts as well as into the band area. There are a couple videos here: http://bustyresources.wikia.com/wiki/Scoop_and_swoop which might explain if you're not familiar with it! You might find yourself spilling out of that bra quite a bit after doing this, as it can drastically affect fit.
(Also, fun fact! We have the same name, though I spell mine "Christine")
Updated on October 29, 2014 Flag this
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Thank you, Christine. Lovely name!
Yes, I have swooped and scooped for these photos, although the "extra" material doesn't really want to stay, which would, I imagine, strongly argue that the cup is definitely not voluminous enough. I'm beginning to think that the cup is neither wide enough nor deep enough, as suggested by wendybien. It's also quite possible that the "extra" tissue is just being instransigent after being wild and free for too long.
--Kristine
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Yeah this bra is small enough that I suspect it can't hold much in, even with all the scooping and swooping in the world! Even with breasts that are not particularly heavy or projected, if the cups are small enough, there's a point at which their functionality is pretty much reduced to that of nipple hat :-P
I did wonder about the same thing as you, eriophora , so it's a very good thing to bring up (many bra wearers don't seem to realize it's abnormal for their boobs to be sneaking out beneath the underwire, which... ouch!)
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RAWR!!! Apparently I just deleted a reply I spent a long time composing. I guess you could say it decomposed. Still frustrating, though.
Anyway. In summary, passing over a protracted but brilliant bit about anatomy, breast tissue versus fat, bra design and other sundry issues, I'm left with the fundamental question of just what the boundaries are of what a bra should cover and include. How high should the upper edge of the wing go? How low for the lower edge? Should the upper, outer edge of the cup hug the anterior axillary fold? Where exactly should the wire, if there is one, lie? How high, at both ends?
Now I'm wondering if there's a book or web page about the theory and design of bras. It's time for more research.
--Kristine
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Your comment about having no fear because you will train me was actually quite comforting, wendybien, and very much appreciated.
Unless I misunderstand what tacking is, I'm pretty sure the gore is tacking to my body. It lies flat without a gap between my skin and the gore.
You say that the cups are too shallow and yet advise me to look for bras designed for a shallow shape. I'm confused. Perhaps the cups on this bra are *very* shallow, and it's just a question of degree for my breasts?
You also indicated the cups are not tall enough. I don't think I see that as a separate measurement for the bra, so how do I tell how tall the cup is?
You think the 38 band size is OK?
I apologise for all the questions. I have a technical background and details are important to me. You might have given me a completely detailed answer, but I'm just now learning the language of breasts, bras, and bra fitting. Train on!
--Kristine